Truck Tyres
Prompted by the industry, the Department for Transport has relaxed the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales for the drivers of “vehicles involved in the delivery of food, non-food (personal care and household paper and cleaning) and over the counter pharmaceuticals when undertaking the following journeys:
Sales of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E winter tyre and compatible Noktop Hakkapeliitta E retreading materials have exceeded a million units during their decade or so on the market. But all good things come to an end, and it is time to make way for an improved product. Nokian Tyres is introducing the Nokian Hakkapeliitta Truck E2 as a “true next-generation drive axle tyre for extreme winter conditions.”
Goodyear’s decision to exit UK retreading in 2015, followed by Continental’s 2016 takeover of Bandvulc and Vaculug’s 2018 acquisition by Zenises Group changed the face of the UK retreading business in just three years. However, while the market has both contracted and consolidated in recent years, a core group of key retreading production bases remain. And while the largest retreading businesses often gain the spotlight, it is worth mentioning fast-growing operations as well. Sussex-based Seryt Tyres is one such company, so Tyres & Accessories got in touch with director Kevin Gillin and marketing manager Olly Townsend in order to find out more.
Truck tyres are joining the ranks of Hankook Tire’s second brand, Laufenn. Hankook Tyre UK will preside over the global launch of these products at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, presenting the Laufenn tyres alongside its expanding Hankook commercial vehicle line-up.
In previous features on commercial vehicle tyres, Tyres & Accessories has noted the varied effects European Union tariffs on product manufactured in China have had on the market. Questioning whether the tariffs have “worked” is a complex question, because their effect on new tye segmentation and retreads have been varied across Europe’s major markets. Truck tyre markets in France and Germany reacted in very different ways to the UK, at least partially because the latter market was contracting anyway.
Following the purchase of Bandvulc in the summer of 2016, then managing director David Smith was promoted into the wider international role of Head of Channel Management Distribution and Region, North Europe for Continental. His 2018 promotion followed a 12-year tenure as UK MD that saw turnover at the UK business more than double. The latest news is that he has returned to the UK, so with all this in mind, Tyres & Accessories recently caught up with David Smith in order to talk about his return as well as both Continental and Bandvulc in the UK.
This year got off to a good start, says Linglong Tire. Between 7 and 9 January, a team from Man Truck & Bus visited the Linglong International Tire (Thailand) Co., Ltd facility in Rayong, Thailand. The MAN team, responsible for auditing potential suppliers, spent three days at the truck and bus tyre plant. After it passed the MAN potential supplier audit, the team entered the facility into the MAN supplier system.
Michelin has renewed a five-year tyre contract with one of the largest vegetable and salad producers in the UK. Preston-based Huntapac Produce signed the Effitires agreement following a competitive tender which pitched the manufacturer against rival brands. Michelin will continue to fit X Multi regional tyres across the firm’s fleet of more than 190 commercial vehicle assets, which includes 64 trucks, 62 refrigerated trailers, 55 bulk tipping trailers, three curtainsiders and two low loaders.
In September 2019, Tyrepress.com broke the news that Yokohama is set to buy the ex-Pirelli industrial tyre business Prometeon. Back then, we reported that the deal was at an advanced stage and could be completed before the end of 2019. That clearly didn’t happen, but the deal is still live and the latest news is that it is nearing completion, but now also involves Aeolus Tyres.
Figures recently published by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) show that its members produced almost 242 million tyres in all segments of the replacement market in 2019, two to three per cent fewer than the 248 million tyres produced a year earlier.
Goodyear Tyres has announced a new two-year partnership with H. Parkinson Haulage Ltd. With over 60 years’ experience in the haulage industry, H. Parkinson Haulage Ltd provides logistics solutions for a multitude of commercial sectors. The company boasts a 300-strong fleet and over 300,000 sq ft of warehousing, strategically located across five sites in the North West of England.
Prisoners at HM Prison Featherstone are being given truck tyre training in an attempt to address the skills shortage in the truck tyre industry and “instil pride into prisoners’ lives”. Bridgestone has partnered with the prison to offer a hat-trick of commercial tyre training qualifications.
Sales of tyres produced by European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) members decreased year-on-year in almost every product category during 2019. The ETRMA describes the market last year as “weak”, and this is particularly the case for the original equipment segments.
Various road and climatic conditions are encountered within the Continental Tire division’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business, and for this reason, it is introducing commercial trailer tyres that reflect regional requirements. The first of these is the Conti Hybrid HT3 WR.
Goodyear Tyres will support TJ Transport Ltd with a five-year partnership, the company announced on 8 January 2020. Goodyear Proactive Solutions and Goodyear OMNITRAC S D MSTII will be used on the full TJ Transport Ltd fleet.
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